The 2003 Green Bay Packers season was the franchise's 85th season overall and their 83rd in the National Football League.

This season finished with an overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the 2004 playoffs, after the Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card round in overtime off an interception return for a touchdown by Al Harris.

The season may be most notable for Brett Favre's Monday night performance against the Oakland Raiders the night after his father had died.

The Packers won the division on the last play of the season. Needing a win and a Minnesota Vikings loss to clinch the division, the Packers routed the Denver Broncos 31-3, while the Vikings lost 18-17 on a last second touchdown by the 3-12 Arizona Cardinals.

Addition of Grady Jackson

On November 5, 2003, the Packers claimed defensive tackle Grady Jackson off waivers from the New Orleans Saints.[2] Jackson helped the Packers allow only 95.38 rushing yards per game over the final 8 games,[3] after allowing over 117 yards per game in the first 8 games.[3] Jackson signed a two-year contract extension on December 29, 2003.[2]

Favre's Monday night performance

The day before the Week 16 game, Irvin Favre, father of Brett Favre, died suddenly of a heart attack. Favre elected to play and passed for four touchdowns in the first half, and 399 yards in a 41–7 defeat of the Raiders. Afterwards, Favre said, "I knew that my dad would have wanted me to play. I love him so much and I love this game. It's meant a great deal to me, to my dad, to my family, and I didn't expect this kind of performance. But I know he was watching tonight."[4]

Packers defensive back Al Harris returned an interception 52 yards for the game-winning touchdown 4:25 in overtime. The game was sent into overtime on Seahawk running back Shaun Alexander's third touchdown of the day. Ahman Green scored two touchdowns for Green Bay, and Bubba Franks caught a 23-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The game is memorable for Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's ironic comment after winning the coin toss for the start of overtime, telling the referee "We want the ball and we're going to score." [5] This game remains one of two times in NFL history that an NFL playoff game has ended with a defensive touchdown in OT. The other being the January 10, 2010 Wild Card game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers.[6]

Ahman Green's franchise postseason record 156 rushing yards was not enough to lift the Packers to victory. Facing fourth down and 26 yards to go, with 1:12 left in the fourth quarter and the Packers leading 17–14, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb completed a 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell on a famous play now known as "4th and 26". The play set up David Akers' 37-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. In the overtime Favre's deep pass was intercepted, and Akers then kicked a 31-yard field goal, giving the Eagles the victory.

McNabb had a spectacular performance in the game, completing 21 of 39 passes for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also rushing for 107 yards on 11 carries.